While you can take many steps to mitigate the risks, there is, unfortunately, no practical way to ensure that you will never become the victim of a malware attack. Because of this, in addition to taking steps to lower the risk of a malware attack, you should also prepare for and have plans in place to recover from a malware attack. This guide to for just that, to provide you with several practical ways to keep yourself safe, even in the event that you suffer a malware attack.
The first and most important step you should take to protect your data is to create frequent backups. In case you are unsure of what that means, it is when you make a copy of your data that can be used to restore said data if the original data is lost. Backups are key to recovering from a ransomware attack or malware that corrupts data until it is unusable. You should have multiple backups that are stored in several locations. At least one backup should be kept in an entirely separate building from the rest, so you will still have a copy of the data if one of the buildings and its contents are destroyed.
Additionally, backups should be created regularly and frequently. Having a copy of your data to restore from is less effective if that data is outdated. How often you backup your data will depend on the needs of your organization. Still, something else to consider is how long you retain the backups. Malware can exist hidden and inactive on a device for long periods, so your backup may contain malware as well. To ensure that you always have a clean backup, you should retain several older backups in addition to your most updated one. Once again, how long you retain your backups will depend on the needs of your organization.
Secondly, in the event of a malware attack on your organization, you will need a recovery plan, so you may immediately begin fixing the problem and minimizing downtime. You will need to consider:
- What will likely be rendered unusable by a malware attack
- How long you can continue without its availability
- What you will need to do to render it usable again
- What can be done before then to minimize costs/damages
None of us want to be stuck in the unfortunate situation of being the victim of a malware attack, but being properly prepared can make the ordeal much less painful.
We highly recommend you get our Cybersecurity Essentials for Business Owners to understand the state of cybersecurity in today's climate.
Remember: Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.